The Huffington Post An outbreak of chlamydia at a high school in Texas has forced administrators there to send a warning note home to parents. District officials confirmed to CBS7 last Friday that the Crane Independent School District has seen 20 cases of the sexually transmitted disease in its high school, adding that letters have also been sent to the district’s junior high school as a precaution. The station estimates 1 in 15 students at the school has contracted chlamydia. The high school offers a three-day sexual education course once a year that emphasizes abstinence. Per the school’s 2014-2015 handbook, Crane ISD “does not offer a curriculum in human sexuality,” but the handbook does lay out state-mandated stipulations should a curriculum be needed in the future: In a conversation with the San Antonio Express-News on Monday, school superintendent Jim Rumage defended the abstinence-heavy course. “That’s not a bad thing,” said Rumage, “because if kids are not having any sexual activity, they can’t get this disease. That’s not a bad program.” Diana Martinez, a Crane resident and parent, told NewsWest 9 her kids are too young for her to worry about; otherwise, she’d sit them down and have a talk. “Honestly this happens in any town,” Martinez said. “Parents need to be aware of the situation and make sure they tell their kids to be safe and practice safe sex.” The school’s health advisory committee met Monday to discuss the outbreak and formulate a response, which it will present to the school board on May...

ABC News With medical marijuana now legal in 23 states, and recreational use permitted in four states as well as Washington, D.C., a burgeoning cannabis industry is blooming in America. The latest crop of potentially lucrative products? Pot for pets. Biscuits, edibles and capsules containing cannabis compounds are being marketed to owners of ailing and elderly animals as natural pain relievers and anti-inflammatory supplements. But these products aren’t getting Fido stoned, claim proponents. “The cannabis plant has many compounds in it,” said Matthew J. Cote, brand manager at San Francisco bay area edibles manufacturer Auntie Dolores, which launched its pet-focused line Treatibles in 2014. “Most people breed cannabis for the euphoric experience of THC. But they’ve been overlooking cannabidiol — commonly known as CBD — which is non-psychoactive.” Citing studies in Israel that suggest CBD can be used to treat epilepsy, inflammation and pain relief, Auntie Dolores decided to infuse dog biscuits as animals suffer from some of those same ailments, said Cote. Sold online for $22 per bag of 40 treats, Treatibles contain 1 milligram of CBD per treat. The company’s recommended dose is 1 milligram per 20-pound animal. “What we’ve seen is that some of these dogs respond very rapidly,” said Cote. “One woman from Fort Bragg was ready to put down her dog due to how sick and in pain he was, but the day before he was scheduled to go under, she administered our treats and just like that the dog was up, walking around and acting normally again.” Canna Companion, a Sultan, Washington-based producer of pet capsules that combine strains of dried, powdered hemp, received similar success stories and testimonials from its customers. “Just want to say how much this product has helped my animals,” writes one pet owner on the brand’s Facebook page. “Bug, [my] 18-year-old cat, is playing, sleeping next to me at night, being curious and exploring… her back pain is nearly gone. I can pet her all over and she purrs! She has NEVER, until being on hemp, enjoyed being petted.” Co-owner of Canna Companion and licensed veterinarian Dr. Sarah Brandon, developed her product after a decade of trials and formula refinements with her own pets and strays. But that didn’t prevent the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from sending her a notice last month, warning that the capsules were an “unapproved...

Special to The Laredo Sun LAREDO, Texas – Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX28) announced the expansion of new health care services at the Laredo VA Outpatient Clinic on Tuesday. The new services feature the option for in-patient hospital stays for the first time in history, thanks to a partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Laredo Medical Center and community physicians through TriWest. The Laredo VA Outpatient Clinic has additional plans to expand inpatient services to other medical facilities in the Laredo area in the near future. Additionally, the Laredo VA Outpatient Clinic is expanding available services onsite to include two new primary care doctors, a dental hygienist and dental assistant, an on-board EMS, police, radiology, and laboratory work. The historic additions mean South Texas veterans will no longer have to spend hours traveling to San Antonio and back to get the services they need, a welcome improvement that means less travel time and expenses, and more time for local vets to spend in other areas of their lives like spending time with their families. “Bringing these services to Laredo-area veterans has been a priority of mine since I was first elected over 10 years ago, and I’m so pleased to see what once was just an idea to improve the quality of life for this area’s veterans has come to fruition,” Congressman Cuellar said. “The ability for veterans seeking medical care to have access to in-patient and overnight care, in addition to a host of other new services and benefits, right here in Laredo means better care, closer to home–the very least we can give our veterans in return for their service.” “We are very happy with this partnership between the Laredo Medical Center, TriWest, and the VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System, and look forward to continue to improve access to care for our Veterans in the Laredo area,” said Robert Walton, Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs Texas Valley Coastal Bend. “Laredo Medical Center is honored to be the first authorized medical center in Webb County to provide in-patient, ER, and advanced outpatient and diagnostic services for our heroes,” said Enrique Gallegos, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer, LMC. “Our Veterans served our country and fought for the freedom we all enjoy. This is our opportunity to serve them by ensuring they have access to the first-class healthcare they deserve here at home. They’ve certainly earned this privilege and LMC is proud to be their hospital of...

Laredo, TEXAS – The Second & Third Town Hall Meeting (s) for the Parks & Leisure Department will be held on Feb. 24 and 25. Tuesday’s Town Hall will be at the James & Maria Haynes Recreation Center, 2102 Clark’s Crossing Dr. at 6 p.m. On Wednesday Feb. 25 at the Fire Department Administrative Center at 616 Del Mar Blvd. at 6 p.m. The public is invited to attend. ...

ABC News Money is the top source of stress in our lives, beating out work, family responsibilities, and health concerns. That’s according to the new Stress In America survey, conducted by Harris Poll for the American Psychological Association. This news isn’t super shocking—money has been the top stressor since the APA started conducting its annual survey in 2007. But this year’s results show that our money worries could also be harming our health. One in five say they’ve skipped or considered skipping a visit to the doctor when they needed health care in the past year because of financial factors. And almost a third (32%) say that lack of money prevents them from living a healthy lifestyle. Parents, younger adults (millennials and Gen Xers), and those in lower-income households are especially feeling the strain. Folks with children under 18 at home have higher levels of stress about money than non-parents. While average American stress levels are trending downward, 34% of parents say their overall stress has increased in the past year. Millennials and Gen Xers are also more stressed about money than older generations. And, not surprisingly, folks with incomes under $50,000 also report greater stress over their finances. Like parents, these groups also say their overall stress levels have gone up in the last year. Women tend to have higher levels of stress in general, and money stress is no exception: 49% of women say that paying for essentials is a major source of stress, compared with 38% of men. And women are more likely than men to say they feel stress about money all or most of the time. That said, “Young or old, rich or poor, no group is immune to stress over money,” noted Norman Anderson, PhD, CEO and Executive Vice President of the APA, in a briefing, pointing out that 64% of Americans overall say that money is a significant source of stress in their lives. Unfortunately, the survey results also show that folks with higher money stress are also more likely to turn to unhealthy ways of coping with their stress, including watching TV for more than two hours a day, surfing the Internet, eating, drinking alcohol, or smoking. In addition to finding healthy ways to beat stress (including exercise, of course), it’s important to seek out emotional support. “Be proactive,” Anderson said. “To build social relationships, you have to make an effort. Reach out to others—if you’re there for others, they’ll be more likely to be there for...

The Huffington Post Dr. Vivek Murthy, the nation’s new surgeon general, says that marijuana “can be helpful” for some medical conditions, and wants science to dictate policy on the federally banned substance. “We have some preliminary data that for certain medical conditions and symptoms, that marijuana can be helpful,” Murthy said during a Wednesday interview on “CBS This Morning” in response to a question about his stance on marijuana legalization. While Murthy didn’t take the opportunity to endorse legalization of marijuana for medical or recreational purposes, he did add that he believes U.S. marijuana policy should be driven by science and what it reveals about the efficacy of using the plant for medical purposes. “I think we’re going to get a lot more data about that,” Murthy said. “I’m very interested to see where that takes us.” Murthy isn’t the first surgeon general to question U.S. drug policy. In 1993, Joycelyn Elders, the surgeon general under President Bill Clinton, said she believed that legalizing drugs in the U.S. would “markedly reduce our crime rate.” Then in 2010, Elders called for the legalization of marijuana. Other high-profile doctors have also come out in support of medical marijuana. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent and Obama’s first choice to be surgeon general when he first took office 2009, produced two documentaries for the cable channel exploring the benefits of medical marijuana. Just last year, Gupta told HuffPost that he thinks the federal government should legalize medical marijuana. In January, the American Academy of Pediatrics called on the Drug Enforcement Administration to reclassify marijuana as a less-harmful substance in order to facilitate research for its potential medical use. Under the Controlled Substances Act, the U.S. has five “schedules” for drugs and chemicals that can be used to make drugs. Schedule I is reserved for drugs that the DEA considers to have the highest potential for abuse and no “currently accepted medical use.” Marijuana has been classified as Schedule I for decades, along with other substances like heroin and LSD. While a lower schedule for marijuana would not make it legal, it could ease restrictions on researching the drug. Despite the federal ban, 23 states have legalized marijuana for medical purposes with at least two more states expected to consider medical marijuana laws by 2016. “Dr. Murthy’s comments add to a growing consensus in the medical community that marijuana can help people suffering from painful conditions,” Tom Angell, chairman of drug policy reform group Marijuana Majority, told The Huffington Post. “It’s crazy that federal law still considers marijuana a Schedule I drug, a category that’s supposed to be reserved for substances with no medical value. In light of these comments from his top medical...

ABC News Bobbi Kristina Brown is a fighter, the family of Brown’s late mother, Whitney Houston, told ABC News. The 21-year-old Brown was hospitalized over the weekend after being found unresponsive in a bathtub. “Bobbi Kristina is fighting for her life and is surrounded by immediate family,” the Houston family said in a statement. “As her father already stated, we are asking you to honor our request for privacy during this difficult time. Thank you for your prayers, well wishes, and we greatly appreciate your continued support.” Brown, the daughter of Bobby Brown and the late Houston, was rushed to an Atlanta-area hospital after her husband, Nick Gordon, and a friend found her face down in a tub. Police arrived at the home at 10:25 a.m. and took over life-saving measures until rescue personnel arrived. “Can’t say how sad this is,” Roswell Police Department spokeswoman Lisa Holland said. “It’s a difficult situation for a police officer to perform CPR on any person.” Brown lost her mother almost exactly three years ago in a similar fashion. Houston was found unresponsive in a tub in Beverly Hills and died shortly...

CNN Two days after she was found facedown and unresponsive in a bathtub full of water at her Roswell, Georgia, home, Whitney Houston’s daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown is on a ventilator and in intensive care, a source close to the family said. Brown, 21, was placed in a medically induced coma and the status of her brain function won’t be known until the sedatives are reduced, the source told CNN. “It is going to be a waiting game,” said the source. Brown “was not breathing” when a man identified as her husband found her Saturday morning inside her townhouse in the Atlanta suburb. He called 911 and performed CPR until emergency crews arrived and took over, said police spokeswoman Lisa Holland. The spokeswoman said when Brown was found, she was “unresponsive, meaning not breathing, no heartbeat.” In scanner traffic, emergency services could be heard describing an “ECHO-level response” — urgent and life threatening — with “possible cardiac arrest.” “Twenty-one-year-old female in the bathtub, facedown. PD’s (police department’s) en route.” Brown was taken to a local hospital, where “she is still alive and breathing. Other than that, I don’t know her condition,” Holland said Saturday. Nobody knows what caused Brown’s unresponsiveness, Holland said, but police consider it a medical incident at this time. She said investigators had found nothing to indicate it was drug- or alcohol-related. Police had been to Bobbi Kristina Brown’s residence recently. Somebody reported a fight there January 23, but nobody answered the door and officers found no evidence of an altercation, Holland said. Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon attend the GRAMMY Gift Lounge during the 56th Grammy Awards on January 25, 2014 in Los Angeles. Almost three years ago to the day, Whitney Houston was found dead in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton hotel near Los Angeles, hours before she was to attend a pre-Grammy Awards party. A coroner ruled her February 11, 2012 death an accidental drowning, with heart disease and cocaine use listed as contributing factors. Brown is her only child. “She encourages me and inspires me,” Houston once said of her daughter. “When I look at her eyes and I see myself, I go, ‘OK. I can do this. I can do this.'” Daughter of acclaimed singer, R&B standout Brown was born in 1993 during Houston’s marriage to R&B singer Bobby Brown, which ended in divorce in 2007. The daughter of music royalty became a public figure during the mid-2000s reality show “Being Bobby Brown,” in which she frequently appeared alongside her parents and often had a front-row seat to their marital fireworks. Bobby Brown requested privacy in a statement issued Sunday...